Reviews of Books

Published previously in another context are 1170 (208/7: I. Magnesia 37), Athens’ response to Magnesia’s request for recognition of its festival of Artemis Leucophryene; 1239 (ca. 200: I. Priene 45), honouring Priene’s deputation to the Panathenaea; 1258 (196/5: IG xi.4 1056), honouring Pharnaces of Pontus and his wife Nysa; 1323 (soon after 175: I. Pergamon 160), honouring Eumenes II of Pergamum and his brothers for their help in restoring Antiochus IV to the Seleucid throne. The list of archons has not been as seriously problematic for this period as for the earlier part of the third century, but the list given here (pages 290–92) shows some changes from, for instance, the list in B.D. Meritt, The Athenian Year (Berkeley and Los Angeles, 1961, 234–46): in the late third century archons are now dated one year later than by Meritt and others (see M.J. Osborne, ‘The date of the Athenian archon Thrasyphon’, ZPE 164, 2008, 85–89) and there are major changes in the 190s, but from 189/8 the list is more or less as in The Athenian Year. Work such as this can never be definitive – we do not know what texts are still waiting to be discovered or what apparently good interpretations will after all be found to be mistaken – but as a high-quality consolidation of several decades of discovery and work these fascicles are extremely welcome and the others are eagerly awaited. P.J. RHODES University of Durham

The author, having found that " there are very few books on otology that the student can read intelligently," states in his preface that "a book which will analyze and sciently collate these necessary data and give a tabloid condensation easily digested by the student mind will fill a gap in medical education that has long existed." If there be such a gap-which we at once dispute-this book emphatically does not fill it. It is long since we have read any work purporting to be a scientific manual which is so badly arranged and so badly written.
The description of Diseases of the Middle-Ear is diffuse and lacks clarity. This chapter, however, contains a good description of the cortical mastoid operation illustrated by several drawings (the legends under Figs. 27 and 28 being negligently transposed) obviously from Whiting's work on the Modern Mastoid Operation, in spite of the statement that " the majority of the illustrations are from freehand drawings of the author." The indications given for the cortical operation are too dogmatic to be really helpful. No mention is made of zygomatic mastoiditis. In the description of the cortical operation, however, stress is laid on the necessity-too often overlooked-of searching patiently for the antrum first, neglecting perforations appearing elsewhere. The author finds that the best after-treatment is by the open method.
There is no adequate description of the radical mastoid operation, and although it is stated that it seems wise to persist in conservative treatment as long as possible, no indications are given as to when radical operation becomes necessary, or even advisable.
Treatment of complications of purulent otitis media is either dismissed in a few lines or omitted in most cases. Fortunately, Gray's table of the differential diagnosis of intracranial complications is included.
The description of functional tests is extremely confusing, as some tests are in the chapter entitled " Deafness " and others in the chapter entitled " Tests." Far too much space is taken up by tests of labyrinth function, quoted from Jones.
The chapter on " Hygiene" consists mainly of repetition. One gem of a sentence must be quoted from "Anatomy and Physiology" -"The benefit, after a full meal of cold applications, (sic) to the lobule VOL. XLIII. NO. vin. 601 2 s is due to vagal stimulation from Arnold's nerve." It may be pointed out that the apex of the petrous is not Dorello's space. " Drugs" have a chapter to themselves which would have been better as an appendix headed "Prescriptions." These include several items of treatment already condemned in the text. Thirteen prescriptions are given for eczema of the external acoustic canal and only two for purulent otitis media, in addition to seven " irrigations." The final chapter, on " Occupations, Diseases and Drugs affecting the Ear," is one of the worst. The irritating habit of marginal headings is followed throughout the book; as this chapter is in " tabloid " form we have frequently to search for the subject of a sentence in the text only to find it a few lines away in the margin; hence the student mind may have some difficulty "in analyzing and sciently collating." The frequent inaccuracies, the vain repetitions-many of which contradict the earlier statements-the lack of clear description, style and arrangement, lead us to credit heartily the author's statement that " the book has in reality written itself." H. Ross SOUPER.

Ohrenheilkunde filr den Praktischen Arzt.
By Privat -Dozent Dr RUDOLF LEIDLER, Vienna. Second Edition, enlarged, with 45 illustrations in the text. Urban and Schwarzenberg: Berlin, 1928. Price 9 Mk. 50 pf. This is a work of very genuine merit which should command the appreciation of those for whom it is written, and the author is to be congratulated on tact and judgment, even if his views sparkle a little too faintly with personal inspiration. If this is a criticism, it is one not easily escaped by Vienna teachers, whose opinions seem to us bound by a too rigid unanimity.
It is pleasing to find that fully one quarter of this book is devoted to methods of examination of the ear; so much more likely is the practitioner to be impressed by the necessity for hard work in acquainting himself with normal and abnormal appearances. There is no mention of the electric magnifying otoscope; this seems regrettable; many practitioners date their enthusiasm for otology from the day on which, by means of this elegant appliance, the intimate anatomy of the tympanic membrane was revealed to them with surprising brilliance.
One welcomes Dr Leidler's enthusiasm for timely paracentesis, but it is hard to understand why he employs local anaesthesia, which he admits is imperfect; there is surely good reason for making painless by general anaesthesia an operation, which he, in common with most otologists, desires to popularise.
Indications for the cortical mastoid operation are admirably explicit; the inclination in this country is perhaps towards earlier and more frequent operation in order to preserve hearing and avoid chronicity of